The following is not complete but just some pointers noted in Rinpoche's 2 talks on 10 May 2015 .
(missed his first talk with introduction on Relative and Absolute Truths for also another excellent Retreat...)
Pardon is sought for any misinterpretation.
Have a Right Attitude to have a Vast mind, an infinite mind to contemplate and hear Teachings with a Think Out of Box kind of attitude.
Rinpoche gave a good example that his translation team just completed a recent translation on Chinese Mahayana Sutra on the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva <<地藏经>> to Tibetan language and he 'screened' through it. He was in praise of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva to be an excellent example of Thinking out of the box.
All of us want to be Enlightened and become Buddha A..S.A.P, but He does NOT wish so.
(I believe Rinpoche is referring to the phrase of Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva: "I will not become Buddha till the Hell is emptied of beings" << 地狱不空, 势不成佛>>...
On first instance, I thought is the Tibetan translation incorrect? but on 2nd thought, yap, His Noble wish is really like mission impossible and He is really Different from us ! Honorable Great Compassionate Bodhisattva! Oh Rinpoche is really Rinpoche to detect that: -) )
We habitually like to get into the box, to be invited to parties, etc.
We never want to get out of the box habitually & emotionally...
Then Rinpoche continued that "Buddha, Dharma, Enlightenment " are all Relative Truths (世俗谛), not Absolute Truths (胜义谛). They are Falsifiable Relative Truth ~ Valid Relative Truth! They are useful & can be used.
Loving-kindness, compassion, Forgiveness, concentration, Ethics, Precepts are all good, useful, useable.
Nothingness includes nothingness.
Everything exists like a dream, with causes & conditions --> phenomenon.
Analogy of 500 elephants in a dream do not depart or disappear just because one wakes up. Elephant gone is good --> falsifiable relative truth.
There is no elephant in this instance to be deleted. Elephant never walks in or walk out...
Rinpoche also interacted with audience for their definitions of Projections and Truly.
Examples quoted of projections included 64 snowflakes of Eskimos, Emperor's new clothes, Slaps, Angry with stick verus person holding stick, 1+1=2 as scientific truth (valid relative truth) and Rinpoche recommended to change a perspective to think out of box instead on 1+1=3.
Examples quoted of Truly included Unchanging Permanence; no difference between past, now & future --> Timeliness; Permanence being not bound by time.
Enlightenment is like carrot to us.
Painted carrots do not work.
Finger pointing to moon is different from Painted finger to moon.
Even if the object is so life-like, and realistic, it does not do the job.
Mind does not exist Truly. The Path is Falsified Valid Relative Truth. One can use it.
Look for Higher truth verus "repairing toilet" for loved ones.
Prince Siddhartha sneaked out of palace for sake of his beloved as he knows staying in palace will not help. His beloved ones will grow old and die one day.
We are victims of our conditions.
Rinpoche taught another analogy of Teachable is cause of Pride. Story was told of a bright student learning everything he could from a master but his father was disappointed and want him to go back to his master who then gave him a targeted number of herd to raise out of doing nothing.
If you are wise, do beyond Right & Wrong and get Liberated!
Karma is valid relative reality, it does not exist truly...
Relative Truth: Look into the mirror, your face appears but it does not make the mirrored face Real...It's still a illusion.
How does Relative Truth function to Ordinary people?
it's like a Magician putting a spell on the audience. We, the ordinary people, are under the spell of anger jealousy, greed , etc.
How does a great practitioner see Relative Truth?
They know it is magic and won't be fascinated and get entangled with the situation.
Morality such as precept adhering and not taking meat, etc. should Not be practised without Wisdom. One should not fall into the case whereby one feels one is superior to another just because one had adhered to some morality which one practise blindly without Wisdom. With Wisdom, the Path designed to Liberation will then not be a binding one.
The Path is a boat to discard once one reaches the opposite shore.
To find a cow, find the cow's footprints.
Thoughts are unlike Wisdom but if one knows how to manage it, one can find Wisdom.
Vipassana meditation is seeing beyond what appears.
Union of the 2 Truths ~ Relative and Ultimate can be achieved through Meditation.
One cannot take out darkness & bring the Light.
Disappearance of darkness --> Light up.
There is no Wisdom through abandoning emotions.
Clarity, appearance do not negate emptiness.
Emptiness do not negate Appearance.
Despite talking much about Relative Truth as Falsifiable Truth,
Offer light with everything.
Anything Is Everything. (Emptiness)
Concept of Emptiness: Chair = Table = Wood
Be Broad minded with Vast Aspirations.
Buddhism is not equivalent to just peaceful non violent definition or mindfulness.
Please do not look down on practices.
We are prone to wrong views hence need six paramitas.
Thank you Rinpoche, for wonderful teachings...
